Compound key mechanism for wood-wind instruments



May 22, 1928.

A. LDOMIS COMPOUND KEY MECHANISM FOR WOOD WIND INSTRUMENTS Filed Nov 2, 1925 cle body,

Patentecl May 22, 1928.

ALLEN LOOMIS, OF ELKHART, INDIANA.

COMPOUND KEY MECHANISM FOR WO9D-WIND INSTRUMENTS.

App ati filed mem instruments sofzthe wood wind type, by which I mean instruments characterizedby a tubuwhether actually made, of wood or metal, or some other material, within which is a column of air which makes a musical note when set in vibratiomaml ilateralholes en int s h r of th e adapte to be opened and closed tor controlling the pitch of the emitted musical tone, andffor th purpo e M r r tis l l the vention is concerned with a key-mechanism for controlling the tone holes of .such .instrunient, such vkey mechanism being of the same general type as that of which several embodiments are illustrated in a patent application filed by me and entitled KVood wind instruments, but involvinga reversal in important particulars, and other modifications, from the key mechanisms there shown. The main object of the invention is to provide a. mechanism of this character, involving a lever supported in a floating mannerby a carrier, with which thecover or pad for a tone hole, and two -,or more finger operated keys are associated, said mechanism having in general the same advantages as ascribed to the .floating lever key mechanism in my application aforesaid, and having special advantages .ofits .own ,asappear hereinatter.

The mechanism here in .olved is applicable to wood wind instruments of different specilic classes, including the flute, clarinet, oboe and saxophone. In the following .deseriptionofthe embodiment chosen forillus- The present invention relates to musical tration here, I will explain its application and manner of use in-connection with the G sharp tone hole of the E fiat alto saxophone;

making it understood, however, that this specific explanation is for illustration and convenience only, and without limiting intent. The same essentialmechanism, having the same principles of operation and result may be applied toother tone holes of the saxophone, or to other wood wind instruments, withor without modification in the construction and arrangement of its several parts or of the combination as a whole.

In the drawings furnished herewith;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the'zkey mechanism embodying (this invention as designed andapplied for the specific use above mentioned; said figure showing also in a fragmentary manner the parts of the body resents a fragment of the body -has a hub sleeve 8 which surrounds 2, 1925. .SerialflNo. 66,185.

Fag. 3 is an endelevation ofthe mechanism as seen from the left of Fig. 2, the body tube and bell of the instrument being shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a cross section and mechanism at the location of the line 41-41; .of Fig. 2.

Like reference characters designate the same parts wherever they occur in all the figures.

Describing now for illustration the embodiment of this invention designed for use in a specific location on a saxophone, and referring to the drawings, the :numeral 1 reptube of the instrument and 2 represents the adjacent part of the bell. 3 represents the tone hole cover or pad provided for the G sharp tone hole of this particular instrument. Said cover 3 is secured to a lever 4 pivoted on a pivot rod .5 which is supported from the body by postsor pillars 6 and 7. The lever the pivot rodand crosses the space between the two pillars. It also has a foot 9 vadapted to hear on the body tube.

To the lever ,4 there is pivoted by a pivot rod l0 a floating lever having the form of aasubstantially rectangular frame consisting of longitudinal or side bars 11 and 12 and transverse or end bars 13 and 14. Said bars are rigidly joined to one another in a unit structure. The side bar 11 is offset away from the body far enough to clear the cover 3 and the pivot 5, and permit the intended movements of both the lever and the cover, while the side .bar 12 is offset laterally to clear the cover 3. A sleeve 15 is made fast to lever 4 and surrounds the pivot 10, occupying the space between the side bars 11 and 12. The lever 4 th-us'constitutes a carrier for this frame or floating lever. A list spring 16 is secured at one end by a screw lite the end of the side bar 12, and its free end bears on a reaction pin 18 projecting from the side of the carrier lever 4. The action and reaction of the spring, exertedon the carrierand floating lever, normally hold the foot 9 of the carrier lever against the body tube and raise the end 13 of the body tube of the floating lever into contact with the arm 22 which will presently be described.

A finger key 19, in this instance the key for the third finger of the left hand, is carried by an arm which is connected by a bridge rod 21 with an arm 22 secured to a sleeve 23 surrounding a pivot rod 24. Said pivot rod extends longitudinally of the body tube, being supported on a series of posts or pillars of which three are shown in the drawings, and are designated 25, 26, and 27. This rod is also the support for a number of other keys and arms, not shown in this drawing, with which the instrument is equipped. The arm 22 overlies the bar 13 of the floating lever and serves as a means for depressing the upper end of the floating lever and closing the cover 3. The lift of thearm 22 is limited by the octave mechanism.

A second finger key 28, which in this in? stance is adapted to be depressed by the little finger of the left hand, is carried by an arm 29 secured to a bridge rod 30, which latter is carried by arms 31 and 32 having their bearing on a pivot rod 33, which is supported from the body tube by posts or pillars 34 and 35 and others, and serves also as the pivotal support for other keys of the instrument, not shown herein. The arm 32 extends across the pivot rod and carries a roller 36, or-equivalent projection or finger, which bears on one arm 37 ofa twoarined lever secured to a sleeve 38 mounted to turn about a third longitudinal pivot rod 39 which is supported by posts 40 and 41 from the instrument body. The second arm 42 of the two-armed lever above mentioned overlies the bar 14 of the floating lever.- A needle spring 43 is mounted in the post 41 and engages a hook 44 on the under side of the arm 37, exerting a downward force through the arm 42 on the floating lever and normally depressing the lower end bar 14 to the extent permitted by a fixed stop knob 42 against which arm 42 bears. The arm 42 is normally in contact with this stop knob, which limits the depression of the bar 14 to theamount necessary to enable the stopper to be closed when key 19 is fully depressed.

A third finger key 45, which is a special key for the first finger of the right hand, is carried by an arm 46 secured to a sleeve 47 which hasrotative bearing on a pivot rod 48 supported from the bell 2 by posts 49 and 50. To the sleeve 47 is secured another arm 51 which extends between the body tube anda projection 52 on the bridge rod 30. The mounting of these arms from the bell is a convenient mode of supporting them clear of other mechanisms. Their relation to the body tube, as to their rising and descending movements, however, is similar tothat of the other arms and keys. A needle spring pression of key 28 fact that the spring 53 is mounted in the post 49 and engages with a hook 54 on the sleeve 47 and tends to raise key 45, and depress arm 51, such movement being stopped by engagement of arm 51 with sleeve 38. The bridge rod 30 carries a foot piece 55 which bears on the body tube and so limits riseof the finger key 28.

The tone cover 3, that hole cover 56 next below the for the G natural hole, carries an arm 57 which overlies the bar 14 of the in Figure 2 the means by which such engagement, is accomplished in the saxophone here illustrated. an arm 60 having a sleeve 61 which rotates about the pivot rod 39, and the cover 59 is secured to an arm 62 having a sleeve 63 which turns about the'same pivot rod. A bent arm 64 secured to sleeve 63 passes under an arm 65 secured to the sleeve 61, and thereby depression of key 58 causes both covers 59 and 5,6 to be depressed. Springs of ordinary character applied in ways well understood to those acquainted with the art, normally lift the covers 56 and '59, and hold them in raised position.

It will now be understood that when the finger key 19 is depressed, the cover 3 is closed. ,The A natural tone hole cover is likewise closed by depression of key 19 through asimple connection from the sleeve 23, not necessary to be described here. While key 19 is held down, the key 28 may be pressed upon, with the effect of raising arm 42 and releasing the lower end of the floating lever. The spring 16 then becomes effective to raise this end of the floating lever and again open the stopper. fect may be obtained by depressing finger key45 which, by actingthrough the arm 51 and projection 52 causes the arm 32 to act on lever 3742.in the same manner as when key 28 is depressed.

The same et'- The cover 56 is secured to p The result of closing cover 3 by depres- A sion of key 19, and then opening it by deor 45, follows from the 43 exerts a stronger depressing pressure on the lower end of the floating lever than the lifting pressure thereon which is exerted by spring 16 when the upper end of the floating lever is depressed. When both ends of this lever are left free and unconstrained, the effect of spring 16 is to depress the lower end of the floating lever, acting thus through the reaction of the foot of the carrier lever 4 on the body tube.

- played. by vibrating the right When the uppe'r'end of 5 the floating, leveris depressed, and its lower and left unconstrained, the spring 16, reacting against the depressing" force, raises the lower end of the floating'lever. The force thus exerted by the spring. 16 toraise' the lower end of the floating lever under such conditions is weaker than'the force exertedby spring 43 tending to lower it; whereby the spring 1 6 isovercome and the cover3'close'd when key I9 is pressed'and arm l 'remains depressed by its spring, but acts to raisethe cover when the constraint exerted by spring througharmea is removed; but the cover 3 remains openifeither' key 28 or 45'is depressed'before or'simulta-neously with depression of key 19; c

Whenkeys 19- and 28* or 45 are simultaneously depressed, the cover 3 can he closed and opened simultaneously with covers 56' and 59- by pressing and releasing key- 58. This is one of the advantages of the'p'resent invention as applied'to' the saxophone, that the trill from F natural to'G' sharp may be forefinger only, while the keys 19 and 28 are held downv by' the third and fourth fingers of the left hand. 7

The G sharp floating lever mechanism heredescribed embodies the principles of a floating, lever coacting' through its carrier upon ahole cover'or key, a single spring be tween said carrier and floating lever normal 1y raising-i one arm of the floating lever and raising the cover, and acting to raise the cover and the oppositegend ofthe' floating lever'when the first endis depressed; combined with a spring normally depressing one arm of the floating lever, a key for removing the restraint exerted by; thelast named spring; and third key eflect ive to apply pressure to the-same end of'thefloating lever when I such restraint is removed.

The pressure exerted by'thearm 57, or its equivalent, on the floating lever may be applied to the upper end of the floating lever, rather than to'its lower end in'the manner here shown; and other rearrangementsand' modifications in the keys by which-the'floating lever mechanism is controlle'd may likewise be made within the spirit of this in vention. It is not at all important in the broad sense which digits respectively close and open the stopper, nor which finger key acts on the upper end and which on the lower end of the floating lever, nor which end of the floating lever is arrangedtoward theupper or lower end of the instrument.

This character of floating. lever, constructed as a frame with transverse barsat it's-ends, is extremely strong and rigid, and gives plenty of roonitor applying a diversityof press'ers' at either end. Two pressers, the arms 42 and 57,'are'here shown applied'to one of the end bars,- and'there is room fork to apply pressure with additional pressers to be-there' applied,- if needed; and additional pr-essers-could readily be applied to the bar 13 by displacing to oneside or the other all otthe arm 22 exc'ept'only that part which'hears on the bar.

It may be noted that the key 19 is the port; when applied with reference to the motions'an'd-force' imposed on the key mech anisms and parts thereof, signify movement or force directed toward th'ebody of the instrument, whatever may be the relation of such directions to the horizontal; whilethe terms lift, raise, import, body, these and terms of similar signify directions away from the terms upper and lower as applied to the opposite ends or arms of the floatinglever and to the longitudinal arrangement of different keys and stoppers; since the latter terms refer to the relation to and distances from the mouth end orthe foot end upper of'the instrument. In this sense means nearer to the month end and'lower means nearer to the foot end of the instrument in the direction of the ascending and descending scale of'notes.

I claim:

1; In a wood wind instrument a key mechanism comprising apivoted operated member, a floating lever pivoted to said member, a" springmounted on said lever and acting on said member to raise both said member andone arm of the floating lever, and separate operating members arranged depressing effect to opposite arms ofsaid floating lever.

2. In a wood wind instrument akey mechanism comprising a pivoted operated member, a floating lever pivoted to said member, a acting on said member to raise both said member and one arm of the floating lever, and separate operating member's arranged to apply pressure with depressing effect to opposite arms of said floating lever, one of said operating members being spring actuated to apply such pressure and digit oper-- ated to relieve the pressure.-

3'. In a wood wind instrument a key mechanism comprising a pivoted operated member, a floating lever pivoted to said member,a spring'mounted on'sa-id lever andacting on said member toraise both said member andone arm of the floating lever, andseparate operating members arranged to apply pressure with depressing effect to opposite'arms of said'floating lever, one of triple automaticoctave mechanism here description the terms without reference to the relation ofdirections to the horizontal. The" terms defined above have norelation to thespring mounted on said lever and ated to apply such said operating members being digit actupressurer 4:. In a wood wind instrument a key mechanism comprising a pivoted operated member, a floating lever pivoted to said member, a spring mounted on said lever and acting on said member to raise both said member and one arm of the floating lever, and separate operating members arranged to apply pressure with depressing eflect to opposite arms of said floating lever, one of said members being spring actuated, and theother being digit actuated to apply said pressure, and the spring actuated member being. operable by pressure of a digit to overcome such, spring pressure.

5. 111 a wood wind instrument a ,key mechanism comprising alever pivotally supported from the body of the instrument, a

floating lever pivoted to the beforenamed lever, a spring secured to one of said levers andpressing upon the other with tendency to raise one arm of each and to press the other arm of one against the instrument body, and operating members arranged to apply pressure with depressing efl'ect tothe arms of said floating lever. i

6.111 a wood wind instrument a key mechanism comprising a lever pivotally supported from the mstrument body and having a foot adapted to bear on said body, a floating lever pivoted to the before named lever, a spring reactingbetween said levers and normally pressing the above specified parts of the first-named lever against the body and raising one arm of the floating lever, and digit controlled means for depressing the arms of saidfloating lever.

7. In a wood wind instrument a key" mechanism comprising a stoppercarrymg lever pivoted to the body of the 1nstrument, a

floating lever, pivoted'to the stopper-carrying lever at one side oi the pivot of the latter, a spring secured to one of said levers and reacting against the other tending to ing lever at one side of the pivot of the latter, a spring securedto one of said levers and reacting against the other tending to hold the stopper raised and the adjacent end of the floating lever depressed, digit controlled means for pressing, on the opposite end of said floating lever; said spring beingarranged to permit depression of said opposite end without depressing the stopper when the before mentioned depressed end of the lever is free to rise, a spring normally exerting restraint onrthe said depressed end of said floating lever, and a digit operated.

means for removing the restraint of said last named sprung.

9. In a wood wind instrument a stoppercarrying lever pivotally supported from the body of the instrument, a floating lever constructed as a frame having side bars and end'bars rigidly connected together, the side bars of said floating lever'trame being arranged to embrace the stoppergcarrying lever and pivoted thereto, and digit con trolled operating arms overlylng and adapted to bear against frame. I r

10. A key mechanism for wood wind instruments comprising carrier lever pivotally supported from the body of the instrument, a holev cover secured to said lever,.a

floating lever pivotally supported by'said carrier lever, a spring secured to said float ing lever and bearing against said carrier lever with tendency to raise the cover andone end of the floating lever, thev otherend of both the carrierlever and the floating lever reacting against the instrument body,

a digit operated lever for depressing the normally raised end of the floating'lever and a digit controlled arm for applying depressing pressure on the normally depressed end of said floating'lever. v i

11. A key mechanism torwood wind instruments comprising'a carrier lever pivotally supported from the body of the mam,

ment, a hole cover secured to said lever, a

floating lever. pivotallysupported by said carrier lever, a spring secured to said floating lever and bearing against said carrier lever with tendency'to raise the cover and one end of the floating lever, the other end of the carrier lever reacting against the instrument body, a digit operated lever for depressing the normally raised end of the floating lever and a digit controlled arm for applying depressing pressure on the normally depressed end of said floating lever, said spring being further arranged to raise the normallyvdepressed end of the. floating lever and the said cover when said end is relieved of depressing pressure and when the end bars of said also the normally raised-end of the floating lever is depressed.

12. In a wood wind instrument a pivotally mounted stopper-carrying lever, a floating lever pivoted to said stopper-carrying lever, a spring acting between said levers normally raising the stopper carryi-ngarm ofthe first lever and one end of the floating lever, a spring pressed arm normally depressing the oppositeend of said floating lever, a digit operated arm for depressing the normally raised end of the floating lever, and a digit operated key for overcoming the effect of said spring pressed arm; the before named spring being then eflective to raise the stopper and the normally depressed end of the floating lever, provided the normally raised end of said lever is pressed upon at the same time.

13. In a wood wind instrument a pivotally mounted stopper-carrying lever, a floating lever p' oted to said stopper-carrying lever, a spring acting between said levers normally raising the stopper-carrying arm of the first lever and one end of the floating lever, a spring pressed arm normally deres-sing the opposite end of said floating ever, a digit operated arm for depressing the normally raised end of the floating lever, a digit operated key for overcoming the effect of said spring pressed arm, the before named spring being then effective to raise the stopper and the normally depressed end of the floating lever provided the normally raised end of said lever is pressed upon at the same time, and a digit operated key mechanism for depressing the normally depressed but now raised end of the floating lever.

14. In a wood wind instrument a pivotally mounted carrier lever, a hole stopper secured to one arm of said lever, a floating lever pivoted to said carrier lever at one side of the pivot of the latter, a spring acting between said levers normally raising the stopper holding arm of the carrier lover and one arm of the floating lever, and adapted to raise the other arm of said floating lever when the normally raised arm is depressed, a spring pressed arm normally bearing on one arm of thefloating lever, a digit operated arm for pressing on the other arm of said floating lever, a digit operated mechanism for overcoming the pressure of said spring pressed arm on the'floating lever, and digit operated mechanism for depressing the arm of the floating lever on which said spring pressed arm bears, when the pressure of the latter is released.

15. In a wood wind instrument a tone hole stopper, a floating lever pivotally connected with said stopper, a spring acting between said stopper and floating lever normally opening the stopper and raising one arm of the floating lever, said floating lever being arranged to close the stopper when both of its arms are depressed and to permit opening of the stopper whenever one arm alone is depressed, a spring normally depressing one arm of the floating lever, a key for depressing the other arm of said lever, a second key for removing the pressure of said last named spring, and a key for depressing the first named arm of the floating lever when the pressure of the second named spring is released.

16. In a saxophone a tone hole stopper, a spring normally opening said stopper, a key and a second spring operating in conjunction to close the stopper, a second key for overcoming the second named spring, whereby the stopper is opened when both said keys are pressed upon, and a third key for closing the stopper when the two before named keys are simultaneously depressed.

17. In a saxophone a tone hole cover, a spring normally opening said cover, a key and a spring cooperating to close the cover, a second key for opening the cover while the first key is pressed upon, and a connection from an adjacent hole cover for closing the previously named hole cover when both keys are pressed upon simultaneously.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

ALLEN LOOMIS. 

